Volkswagen Group stayed very much in the news this week. The company posted a set of results that were dragged down by provision made for costs associated with ‘dieselgate’. I suspect it won’t be the last set of disappointing results to come out of Wolfsburg.

As winter starts to really take hold in Russia – both climatically through the advent of the first real cold of this time of year – and equally with the country finding itself in a state of political deep freeze – this vast territory finds itself beleaguered on almost all fronts.

Just when you thought things couldn't be any worse for the auto sector in Russia, up popped the AEB recently with its latest monthly instalment of doom that sets the situation in stark clarity, but will a stabilising rouble ride to the rescue?

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Russian giant, AvtoVAZ recently unveiled sales figures which appear to bear out the slightly more optimistic tone struck by the AEB after four years of unrelenting market falls. The market is undoubtedly beset by challenges almost unknown anywhere else as a combination of international economic sanctions and a reliance on commodities have a correlation on consumer behaviour, but a stabilising ruble and exchange rate may see business pick up.

PSA Peugeot Citroen recently inked a partnership with Agromash Holding, for the assembly and distribution of the French automaker's passenger cars and LCVs in Kazakhstan. Simon Warburton was in contact with the trailer and agricultural machinery manufacturer based in the huge country on Russia's southern border.

Andy Higgins, the new managing director of Chevrolet UK from 1 October, is full of enthusiasm for both the brand and football - handy as his appointment coincided with news of Chevrolet becoming Manchester United's shirt sponsor starting with the 2014/2015 season.

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The production of two new models Lada Vesta and Lada Vesta SW Cross was launched on 11 September 2017. First cars were produced on Lada conveyor in Izhevsk.
Lada Vesta SW and SW Cross have added the lineup of Lada Vesta, one of the most popular cars...

Lada extends the lineup of one of the most demanded cars on the Russian market and presents the design of the serial Lada Vesta SW Cross - the first car in its segment, which combines the expressive design, crossover features, and multifunctionality. The sales...

AvtoVAZ insists its Lada brand will not remain isolated from global megatrends including on-board entertainment, but the giant automaker nonetheless concedes Russia presents distinct challenges when it comes to implementing some technologies emerging in smaller regions.

Avtovaz Group has started production of a dual-fuel version of Lada Vesta CNG. For the first time in the history of the brand, the dealers will get a car with the serial compressed-gas equipment designed for the use of compressed natural gas.

AvtoVAZ is describing its recent sales performance as "robust," as its own data bears out figures from the Association of European Businesses (AEB) showing a modest recovery in the Russian vehicle sector.

Avtovaz Group (AVG) announces Q1 2017 IFRS results. The positive trend regarding market share, revenues and financial results, which started in 2H 2016, continued.
In Q1 2017 AVG sold 61,447 Lada cars, 8% more than in the same period of 2016....

Sales of new passenger cars and LCVs in Russia increased 9.4% last month with quarterly figures showing the first positive movement in more than four years according to data from the Association of European Businesses (AEB).

AvtoVAZ Renault-Nissan Purchasing Organisation (ARNPO) says it has to be able to compete internationally as well as be efficient on the Russian domestic front as it looks to consolidate and increase its presence home and abroad.

LADA is summing up the results of sales in Q1, 2017. Totally 61,477 passenger and light commercial vehicles have been sold for 3-months, this is 8% higher than for the same period of 2016.
Particularly in March 2017 the number of sold passenger cars...

AvtoVAZ says it is looking to significant push for exports as it looks to leverage the Russian government's drive through Decree 905 to encourage domestic companies to search for new business overseas.

Dmitry Mikhailov is appointed vice president, Quality and Customer Satisfaction of Avtovaz Group. He is succeeding Shigeru Nakamura, who will continue his career with Nissan in Japan.
Mikhailov (43) graduated from St. Petersburg University of...

In January 2017 Lada sold 16,334 cars in the RF market, this is 4.9% better than last January when the company sold 15,577 cars.
First time from the start of sales Lada Vesta took rise from the fourth to the third place in the All-Russia rating (data of the...

On 10 December 2016 Lada Izhevsk plant being the part of Avtovaz Group, celebrated 50th Anniversary since the production of the first car in Udmurtia. In 1966 it was Moskvich-408, its production was transferred to Izhevsk from Moscow AZLK.
Today Lada...

Avtovaz Group announces the results for 9M 2016. The Lada market share in the Russian PC market grew to 19.9% vs 18.1% last year. The total Lada sales amounted to 189,852 cars, which is 6.7% lower vs the same period 2015. The total market dropped by...

50,000th Lada Vesta sedans had left production line at Lada Izhevsk plant, a subsidiary of Avtovaz. The anniversary vehicle is the most equipped version coloured with trendy 'Blues' (blue metallic).
50,000th Lada Vestas was produced a year after the...

Sierra Wireless, on 13 September, 2016, announced that Itelma, a manufacturer and distributor of automotive equipment, has selected Sierra Wireless’ family of smart automotive modules and cloud-based AirVantage IoT platform to enable cellular...

Lada sales in August 2016 made 20,908 cars, which is 3.6% more than a year before. In the situation of ongoing overall PC market drop, Lada passenger car market share has increased in August from 15.4% in 2015 to 19.6% in 2016 (company’s tentative...

Lada brought a unique exposition to MIMS 2016. Lada booth became the largest in brand’s history, 2000 sq.m, it contains maximum number of cars-19 with maximum number of concept cars-6.
Exposition demonstrates potential directions of Lada line-up...

Production of cross-country Lada Kalina Cross has started. The version named Black Line has a distinct by black roof, original two-colour 15 inch wheel discs and two colour options for seat upholstery, orange or grey. Main body colour is combination of orange...